


俺達の未来への希望（Our Hopes of the Future）

by xLightningToki



Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Illustrated, Post-Canon, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-14 20:08:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14143587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xLightningToki/pseuds/xLightningToki
Summary: He had a broad grin on his face, but Chrono noticed that despite his jolly attitude, he appeared to be paler than usual. Carrying a deity of destruction inside of him must have taken a toll, hence his confinement to bed. When Chrono glanced at his hands, they looked frailer, more breakable.It was frightening how fragile the human body could be. Chrono was at least glad that Kazuma was recovering; otherwise he would never live this down.※※※After Gyze’s brief reign of terror, Chrono realizes that he should try to support Kazuma as much as possible and takes him out for the day. Secrets are revealed, and new emotions are unraveled.





	俺達の未来への希望（Our Hopes of the Future）

**Author's Note:**

> 1) The first section of the story alludes to a scene in one of my favorite manga series. Kudos to anyone who guesses it correctly.  
> 2) This was supposed to be a sweet story, but then it got angsty really fast. Kazuma, I’m sorry… (>﹏<)
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I don’t own Cardfight!! Vanguard G or any of its elements whatsoever; just this story.  
> ※Please do not reprint without my permission.※

“Hey, Chrono.”

　　A young boy with blue hair and silver eyes, appearing no more than eight years of age, stood amongst the accumulating smoke floating in the dark space around him. His large eyes and small smile would have given him an innocent appearance, hadn’t it been for the shadows surrounding his delicate face.

　　“Why was Chrono unable to save me back then?” he continued. His smile seemed more sinister as the shadows continued to dance around him. “You’ll keep having this dream until you find an answer.” He blinked once, his expression never faltering. “Because this is the darkness within you, after all. And I…”

　　The smoke had grown until it had completely smothered the boy from view. By the time it had begun to clear again, a taller boy with empty golden eyes donning a black waistcoat stood in the child’s place. He outstretched a hand and smirked slightly, his eyes gleaming cruelly. He was now merely a shell of who he originally was, a human who had yet lost all of his humanity in one foul swoop.

　　“I will be your power, your strength,” he said, his voice deeper and more seducing. “Should there ever come a time when you feel that all hope is lost, tell me. Submit to me, and I will avenge you and destroy everything in your place.”

　　The smoke was beginning to surround him again, and the boy was floating away now, more out of reach than ever. He relaxed his arm and gazed ahead.

　　As the surroundings grew dimmer and dimmer, he finally managed to utter, “By the way, Chrono, you…”

　　Then, total darkness.

* * *

A loud, consistent ring echoed across the bedroom.

　　An adolescent boy with messy crimson hair groaned as he slapped a hand onto the digital alarm clock, ceasing its racket. He groggily sat up from his bed, rubbed the sleepy tears from his sharp emerald eyes, and yawned.

　　 _That dream again, huh?_

　　Even though Shindō Chrono had released Shōji Kazuma from Gyze’s control, he still had to cope with the same dream every night, as if to prompt him that Kazuma’s capture was his fault alone, and that he was responsible for reversing it. As the Gear Chronicle Singularity, he already felt accountable for many tribulations that occurred between Cray and Earth. Almost sending Kazuma to his doom was one of them, and it was the one that he felt most blameworthy for.

　　Kazuma was his most important person, after all. At least, that was what Mikuru told him.

　　Chrono brushed the thought aside and commenced on performing his typical morning routines: dressing up, washing himself and preparing a simple but nourishing breakfast to share with Mikuru, who had not yet wakened up.

　　It was the weekend, so Chrono didn’t bother changing into his school uniform. Rather, he had planned earlier this week to meet up with Kazuma and spend the day with him. The younger boy had been bedridden for a while, adhering to the stern orders his protective older brother Kazumi. (Kazuma didn’t argue against him, though. Kazumi had been crying inconsolably over him for several minutes straight, his tears thick with joy and relief for Kazuma’s safe return, and grief for letting him struggle against Gyze all alone.) However, since the two high school students were already well known for being the winners of the U20 Championship, Chrono resolved not to wear his habitual outfit today, fearing that any speculating fans would recognize and swarm around him. This time, he would try something else.

　　He replaced his puffy sports jacket with a tight, mahogany leather jacket, and wrapped a checkered cloth around his black jeans. Then, he placed a fedora onto his fluffy hair, hoping that it would somewhat shroud away his signature swirl. It didn’t, but Chrono left it on anyway. The girls said that it looked suitable; he might as well keep it.

　　After that, he turned the apartment door’s knob and stepped outside, inhaling deeply. He already made a full schedule for today’s activities, and he would ensure that he and Kazuma went through each and every one of them. As long as he made Kazuma smile and forget about his recent plights, everything would be worth it.

　　Besides, he figured that it was about time that he started being more supportive.

　　He straightened his back and closed the door behind him.

* * *

Kazuma’s home wasn’t too far away, so Chrono was able to find his destination in a span of a few minutes. By the time he arrived, he found a tall young man with long snowy hair and golden eyes standing before the entrance.

　　“Good morning, Onimaru-san,” he greeted respectfully.

　　The man’s eyes lit up. “Ah, Shindō-kun! How nice to see you.” He smiled, and Chrono felt his stiff body relaxing. Those two brothers always made him feel at ease; they were such nice people. “You are here to pick up Kazuma, I presume?”

　　“Ah, yes. Is he ready?”

　　“He should be out soon.” Kazumi cupped a hand to his mouth and shouted at the door, “Mā-kun! Your friend is here.”

　　A few low but incoherent grumbles were returned, although Chrono affirmed hearing the speaker mutter, “Jeez, you’re never going to stop calling me that, are you?” He couldn’t help but chuckle by that.

　　Satisfied by the response, Kazumi bade Chrono farewell and entered the house. A few seconds later, his younger brother stepped out, and Chrono gave him a once-over.

　　Apparently, Kazuma didn’t want to be massed by fans, either, having substituted his jean jacket for a puffier one, paired with a dark cap. It was an extremely casual outfit, but it suited him.

　　He had a broad grin on his face, but Chrono noticed that despite his jolly attitude, he appeared to be paler than usual. Carrying a deity of destruction inside of him must have taken a toll, hence his confinement to bed. When Chrono glanced at his hands, they looked frailer, more breakable.

　　It was frightening how fragile the human body could be. Chrono was at least glad that Kazuma was recovering; otherwise he would never live this down.

　　Kazuma eyed Chrono’s fedora and whistled impressively. “Looking good, Chrono,” he complimented, approaching the redhead in stride.

　　Chrono smirked, secretly giddy over hearing his first name. When the two had first met, Kazuma had obstinately addressed his peer by his surname. But during the Apostle incident, he finally had the courage to utter his first name, although not in the best of circumstances. Chrono had vowed to himself that by the time he freed Kazuma from Gyze’s control, he would get his classmate to say his first name without restraint. Luckily for him, Kazuma had felt intimate enough to do just that.

　　“You don’t look too bad yourself,” he replied, winking. Then, with more discomfiture, “Are you feeling all right now?”

　　“You’re such a mother hen.” He laughed in spite of this. “I’m fine, though. There’s no need to worry.”

　　“I’m glad.” And he really was. “You know, I did plan out what we are going to do today. We’ll have all day to ourselves; isn’t that neat?” The green-eyed boy puffed out his chest, placing his hands on his hips. He practically spent all night figuring out what to do the next day; to him, this was an accomplishment.

　　The mood was ruined, however, when Kazuma quipped, “I hope you’re not abandoning your homework for this.”

　　Chrono sputtered, “Do you honestly think I still do that?”

　　Much to his chagrin, Kazuma merely shrugged back.

　　There, Chrono turned his head to gaze at the sky. It was so blue and serene. The clouds above were so white and puffy. The leaves on the trees were a vivid emerald, and the sun was so round and bright. What perfect weather.

　　Thank goodness he had organized everything in advance. He didn’t want anything raining on his parade.

　　He stretched a hand to Kazuma, grinning. “Let’s go, then,” he said kindly.

　　“Mm.” Kazuma rested his fingers onto Chrono’s palm. It was pleasurably warm.

* * *

“So, where are you taking me first?”

　　Chrono and Kazuma strolled side by side on the sidewalk, their shoulders brushing against each other as the teenagers overtook various shops and booths across the street. The two had relished the silence for a short time, aside from the jovial shouts from children and the occasional gossip spilling out of the mouths of passersby.

　　“Well, there’s this bakery that I wanted to visit for a while. I’ve heard that it has delicious pastries, so I figured that it wouldn’t hurt to try them,” Chrono spoke up.

　　“Heh?” The word was drawn out slowly as Kazuma raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

　　“Don’t worry; I’m sure you’ll like it!” Chrono knew by now that Kazuma wasn’t much of a sweets fanatic, but even he had a few favorite treats. “I’ll find something that’ll suit your taste buds. Oh, look.” The two paused together, having reached their destination.

　　Chrono tugged at the bakery’s door handle, and he was greeted with the ebullient jingles from the doorbell. He stepped away and swept his hand in front of himself. “After you, good sir,” he said teasingly.

　　“Stop it.” But Kazuma was snickering as the two entered the store.

　　The two boys were almost overwhelmed by the warm atmosphere and the fragrant smell of freshly baked bread. There were stands presenting all sorts of breads, cakes and pastries that nearly made Chrono’s mouth water. The tables were a coffee brown, and the chairs and booths had soft, velvety seats. Sunlight seeped through the windows, giving the room somewhat of a sanctified aura.

　　After staring at the products for a good thirty seconds, Chrono whispered, “You know, I just had a nice breakfast, and yet I’m starting to get hungry again.”

　　“You’re really hopeless, aren’t you?” Kazuma sighed as his eyes searched for a nearby table. “In that case, go ahead and look for something. I’ll find us a seat.”

　　“Yes, Mom.” And Kazuma flapped at him exasperatedly before trotting off.

　　After roaming through the numerous seats that the bakery offered, Kazuma settled with a small booth with a window. Making himself comfortable, he clasped his hands together, his elbows resting upon the table, and proceeded to look out of the window.

　　Nonetheless, his mind was not about the outdoors.

　　It was strange to him, really, that Chrono was always by his side ever since their first encounter. Even though Kazuma constantly tried to push him away, the boy refused to be rejected. Rather, he announced over and over again that Kazuma was strong, that he could do anything if he put his mind to things, and that one loss would not stop him from attaining the future he always dreamed of. To reunite with his brother, to support his single mother, to be praised by his peers, and to be worshipped by his teammates… To be seen as number one for once, after continuously trying and failing to impress the Onimaru household… To be able to repay Chrono for everything that he gave him: friendship, salvation, character and love…

　　Still, after fighting so hard, he realized that love wasn’t something that one needed to pay for. Unconditional love was absolutely free. That was the kind of love that Chrono, Taiyō and Kazumi offered him. They gave and gave and gave, and Kazuma took and took and took, and the three didn’t care whether Kazuma provided anything in return.

　　But that was what Kazuma yearned to do: provide something in return. And yet he had no idea on what he could present to Chrono. The other boy didn’t care about (and might not even appreciate) gifts or the like; he preferred companionship. That could be easily done, but Kazuma still wanted to donate more.

　　What was there to contribute to him, anyhow?

　　He was jolted out of thoughts when he heard an abrupt thud upon his table. Smothering a gasp, he turned his head around, and his smoky gray eyes met viridian ones, whose owner smiled cheekily as he presented a tray of food before the blue-haired youth.

　　Most of the food had already been placed into shopping bags so that they would be brought home later. Aside from that, there was also a slice of strawberry shortcake and a slice of green Swiss roll cake—Kazuma’s favorite dessert.

　　Chrono smiled. “I’ve once heard from Onimaru-san that you liked Swiss roll cake,” he explained after noticing Kazuma’s bewildered expression. Digging into his shortcake, he added offhandedly, “I hope that’s okay.”

　　“Oh, yeah.” Kazuma scolded himself for speaking so hurriedly. “Ah, that’s fine. Thanks.”

　　His cheeks were a bit ruddy as he feasted on the sweet dish. He didn’t show genuine gratitude that often, so Chrono found this as a pleasant surprise.

　　Feeling content from hearing Kazuma’s raw acknowledgement, Chrono resumed wolfing down his shortcake with relish.

* * *

When the two had finished eating, Chrono had swiftly grabbed Kazuma’s arm before promptly dragging him outside again. Befuddled by his friend’s enthusiastic manner, Kazuma attempted several times to ask him where they were heading next, but Chrono refused to reveal anything, thus leaving the latter to stare absently ahead and sulk by himself. Even when they began boarding trains and crossing streets again, Chrono willfully kept his next activity a secret, insisting—no, _demanding_ —that Kazuma close his eyes and let Chrono drag him around until they arrived somewhere.

　　It wasn’t until Kazuma lost patience and peeked to find the ground covered in pink petals, when he lifted his head and realized where they were.

　　They were walking across a dirt path; that was one factor. Then there was the fact that he couldn’t see the sky anymore; it was completely obscured by the towering trees encasing the path, their branches overflowing with light pink blossoms. As a breeze swept past him, thousands of tiny petals were torn off from the trees and danced in the air.

　　“Ah…”

　　His steely eyes took in the scenery with inexplicable awe, while Chrono beamed softly next to him.

　　“A cherry blossom garden,” he managed to breathe before turning to Chrono. “I’ve never been here before. Chrono, you brought me _here_?”

　　The other boy chuckled, rubbing his neck. “It’s a bit cliché, I know, but Japan is famous for its cherry blossoms, and I supposed that you would like to see them up close for once.” He tilted his head. “…Do you like it?”

　　“Gosh, Chrono…” His smile was so radiant that Chrono thought he saw stars. “This is amazing! I can’t… I can’t…”

　　As the blue-haired teenager continued to marvel at the beautiful scene before him, Chrono gave himself a fist-pump. So far, Kazuma had been impressed with everything that Chrono showed him. That, and he was jubilant to boot. Making Kazuma happy was Chrono’s top priority right now—he had an unforgettably rough past, and Chrono hoped that this trip would ease Kazuma’s troubles, since not many people really knew much about him. Up to now, it was working like a charm.

　　Then he felt Kazuma clinging to his wrist, and he heard him say, “Hey, walk with me for a bit?”

　　Chrono couldn’t say no to those eyes. Had they always been that clear? “Of course.”

　　They resumed their walk, not uttering a sound but simply enjoying each other’s presence. The gentle breeze caressed their hair, blowing it to the sides of their faces as they admired the view. The mutual silence, by coincidence, felt a bit comforting, but neither boy could express the reason why.

　　Eventually, Kazuma broke the silence by asking, “So, I’ve heard that you met Myōjin Ryūzu here once.”

　　Ah, yes. Chrono had informed Kazuma about his adventures and memories of the Stride Gate incident—how he met a child named Ryūzu, who so happened to be a friend of his father’s and was determined to create a perfect future for all of humanity using Vanguard, although not in the most practical of ways. Chrono had thwarted his plans but still insisted that Ryūzu had a future ahead of him and that he could redeem himself. But by doing so, the Zodiac Time Beasts had reverted Ryūzu to a baby. It was incredible and unthinkable.

　　“Yeah…” Chrono trailed off. “It was a really…awkward experience for me. But it’s fine now. The Dragon Empire Branch is taking care of him, so he’s in good hands.”

　　“You seem to care about him.”

　　The redhead flushed slightly after hearing the blunt statement. “Well…” He scratched his cheek. “He _is_ a child now, so I can’t help it, I guess. He’s a good kid, though. Say…” He paused and turned to Kazuma. “Do you want to meet him?”

　　“Eh?” Kazuma blinked at him. “What, you mean right now?”

　　“Yep!” Chrono was essentially grinning from ear to ear. “I’m sure he’ll love to see you!”

* * *

Kazuma had absolutely no say in this matter.

　　Chrono was so delighted by the idea of visiting little Ryūzu that he hastily heaved Kazuma all the way to the Dragon Empire Branch without pausing to take a breath. But he had forgotten to consider one small problem:

　　Children loved Chrono; they literally worshipped him. Kazuma, on the other hand, could barely get a child to even smile at him. (Then again, he never attempted this, since it didn’t seem to hold any relevance. He blamed his impertinence for every graceless relationship he had with people long ago.)

　　Hence, the idea of befriending a child was as inconceivable as chucking a boulder at his stomach.

　　He was still panicking by the time they entered the Dragon Empire Branch, almost failing to spot Anjō Mamoru waving at him. He gave a feeble wave back, and then as Chrono and Mamoru hit off a lively conversation, he eyed at the odd-looking lump on Mamoru’s back.

　　No, not a lump—that was a human _child_ on his back.

　　He had shoulder-length ebony hair and large violet eyes with long lashes, and he donned a fresh sailor shirt and dark shorts. His facial expression was quite neutral for a toddler—calculating, almost, as if his eyes were boring into one’s soul. It bothered Kazuma somewhat.

　　So this was the person who nearly changed the course of history. How unnerving.

　　But then the child saw the redhead and began banging his fist lightly on Mamoru’s shoulder. “Chrono~!”

　　Said boy, hearing his name uttered so sweetly, lit up immediately.

　　“Hey, Ryūzu!” he greeted back with equal enthusiasm, lifting the youngster from Mamoru’s back only to carry him in his arms. “How are you? Have you been a good boy today?”

　　“Yep!” Goodness, he almost squealed, the kid. “I’ve been organizing my deck all afternoon. Soon I’ll be able to fight you!”

　　“Heh, is that so? How exciting!” Chrono was actually _gushing_.

　　Like Kazuma said before, he was such a mother hen. And no, he did not think it was cute.

　　Mamoru, contrariwise, merely watched them with an amused twinkle in his eyes. “Well, then I’ll take my leave, Chrono-kun, Kazuma-kun,” he said, lifting a hand as he turned around to walk away. “Have fun!”

　　Kazuma nearly sputtered as Chrono and Ryūzu simultaneously waved back. Mamoru was going to leave the kid in a teenager’s hands? He must have been hallucinating.

　　But then he saw Ryūzu stare at Chrono with such admiration that he disregarded the thought and sat on the nearest bench, fighting the urge to bury his head in his hands.

　　Chrono must have noticed Kazuma judging them warily, for he proceeded to grin at him. “So, you two will finally meet!”

　　Kazuma wanted to vomit right then and there. No, he could not do this. There was _no way_ that this child would ever come to like him. The idea was truly preposterous.

　　He barely heard Chrono give out introductions, and jolted when he heard the older boy say, “Ryūzu, say ‘hi’ to your big brother!”

　　Chrono set Ryūzu down onto his feet, and the child walked forward (a bit wobbly) towards the silver-eyed teenager. Kazuma stiffened when Ryūzu came to a full stop, wondering if the latter would sneer at him or scurry away afterwards, or—worst case scenario—start bawling and attracting security guards.

　　Instead, a pair of tiny hands grasped Kazuma’s rough ones, and Ryūzu flashed him a bright smile, his eyes dazzling as he showed off his pearly whites. “Nice to meet you, big bro Kazuma!”

　　 _Big bro Kazuma…_

　　A faint gasp escaped Kazuma’s lips. There, his expression instantly softened, and his back relaxed as his lips curled upward. Intuitively, he gripped Ryūzu’s hands, his eyes shining and his cheeks coloring as he smiled back timidly.

　　Maybe he wasn’t so bad with children after all.

　　“…It’s nice to meet you, too.”

　　Chrono, who stood by his side and watched the entire exchange, beamed approvingly.

* * *

After entertaining Ryūzu, the two boys left to complete the remaining activities in Chrono’s list. This included promenading across a bridge and watching speedboats and seagulls, and stopping by a local restaurant to eat okonomiyaki for dinner. (Chrono, for some reason, contended that ketchup be added into the mix, ensuing a brief argument between the two over which toppings tasted better. This caused Chrono to have a great sense of déjà vu. Nonetheless, he paid the bill in the end.)

　　Their final stop was Chrono’s apartment, for Kazuma was to spend the night after a full day of nonstop movement. Chrono had to admit that he was a bit exhausted as well, yet he was filled with vigor as the two finally stumbled into his quaint home.

　　He lent Kazuma some spare clothing before letting him bathe first. In the meantime, he busied himself by organizing his room, verifying that nothing lied around the floor. Once the two had finished washing up, they found themselves snuggled under Chrono’s covers, sharing the same mattress.

　　Evidently, since the Shindō household rarely expected guests, the apartment lacked any futons or additional beds. Consequently, the two boys were obliged to share one bed. Luckily for them, it was large enough that neither of them would topple over as they slept.

　　However, the memories of today’s events were still rushing into their minds, preventing them from even dozing off. (Chrono also silently hoped that tonight would be nightmare-free, considering that Kazuma was _right next_ to him.)

　　“Man…” Chrono yawned, lying on his back and stretching his arms outward for a second. “What a day.”

　　“You could say that again,” Kazuma agreed, who laid on his side at Chrono’s left, facing away from the other boy.

　　“Was it fun?” Chrono persisted.

　　Kazuma hummed in reply, nestling into the warmth of his comforter. His eyes drooped as he fought the urge to drift off in the middle of the conversation.

　　“Is that so? I’m glad,” he caught Chrono saying. “I was hoping you would, since you don’t do this so often…”

　　“Hm?” His voice was a bit strangled from the thickness of his pillow. “Whatever do you mean?”

　　“Well, I don’t think you’ve done this when you were younger, right?”

　　Kazuma’s eyes sank further into his pillow. He could not recall anything enjoyable from his childhood, aside from his older brother’s teachings and praises. Plus, the Onimaru household disapproved of such recreation. “My father wouldn’t allow me. None of the adults would.”

　　For a moment, there was a deep silence. Then, Chrono finally said, “You don’t have to talk about this if you don’t want to.”

　　Kazuma almost laughed. That was so much like Chrono, always trying to be considerate of others’ feelings. Yet at the same time, his mind was screaming at him to spill everything out, to tell Chrono everything about how he grew up, how much he struggled, how much he yearned for his brother’s presence, and how he was still amazed that he grew up despite the turmoil. He wanted Chrono to know.

　　No more hiding. No more secrets. Only resilient conviction, that was all.

　　“…I want to, actually.” The words slipped from his mouth before he realized what was going on.

　　Chrono’s head turned slightly, his emerald eyes gazing towards Kazuma’s cobalt hair, and his lips parted in disbelief. Kazuma stared unswervingly at his hands and took several even breaths.

　　“I grew up in a very strict household; you know that quite well. As a former member of the Onimaru family, I was expected to learn all different sorts of skills and attributes, whether it was athletics or intellect—all of those things. I was capable, of course, and I always did my best, and I knew that I was surpassing all of my peers, but it was never good enough for them.”

　　That was right; they constantly turned to Kazumi, who beat him at almost anything. _Not good enough, not good enough, not good enough._ Those words echoed in Kazuma’s mind like a mantra.

　　“They’d always look at me disapprovingly, and I could never meet them in the eye. I always cowered underneath them. It was so much pressure, but I kept on trying to please them, in hopes that someday they would look at me the same as they did to big bro.”

　　Not that they would, anymore. Kazumi had become so disgusted by his family’s dishonorable attitude that he refused to become its company’s successor; he was that irate.

　　Kazuma’s breathing was becoming more irregular every second.

　　“At that time, I was young and naïve, and I never realized that they simply didn’t like me because I was born out of an affair. My father didn’t like me; he didn’t even love my mother. I grew up hating him for that, especially after he threw us out of his home.”

　　 _Not good enough, not good enough, not good enough_.

　　“Gosh, he actually _threw us out_ …” His voice sounded hysterical, so choked up. He struggled to keep it steady.

　　“That’s why, when you said that you wanted me as a teammate, I didn’t know what to think. Finally, someone needed me. Finally, someone wanted me. And I was so grateful, you know. You, Taiyō, big bro… You guys all wanted me, and you didn’t care how I thought about myself because you had in faith in me, because you made me the person I wanted to be. So, I didn’t want you guys to leave me like my father did. And yet, I still haven’t given anything to you in return…”

　　His eyes glistened as they reflected the moonlight peeking through the bedroom window. His heart squeezed in his chest.

　　“It hurts a lot, Chrono. All of it hurts…”

　　His inhalations were now loud and ragged, and his cheeks reddened with disgrace. He felt something misty in his eyes, but he couldn’t tell if they were tears of frustration; he was so fatigued.

　　He heard a rustle of fabric. Then, a few nimble fingers fluttered over his abdomen.

　　“Ah…”

　　The next thing he knew was his face nearly buried in Chrono’s chest and a pair of arms around his waist. Caught off guard by the extra heat, his face flushed, and he cranked his neck upwards.

　　“Ch-Chrono?” He hated how weak and raw his voice was. He blamed his increasingly stuffy nose and foggy consciousness.

　　Said boy, who had been wordless for a while, hugged him tighter, his head resting on Kazuma’s shoulder. Then, he finally spoke up.

　　“You don’t have to give me anything in return. I did all of these things because I care about you. I wanted to see you smile. I wanted to hear you laugh at me and call me an idiot whenever we did stupid things together. And…I know that you’ve been through some really rough times, and I felt that I should be doing something for you instead…”

　　“Chrono… I…”

　　“Shh… Hear me out, please.” An exhale, and then, “So, after hearing everything you said, I can’t help but think… What did you do to deserve all of this? I don’t think the Onimaru household has ever taken the time to see how wonderful you are. And you’re my best friend; friends don’t give each other things just because they feel obligated to. They give because they _want_ to, because they care for each other so much. Whatever I did, it was because I _wanted_ to; that’s all there is to it.

　　“In the end, I can promise you this, Kazuma: I’m never going to leave you. Not Onimaru-san, not Taiyō, not me. No matter what happens, I’ll still come to you, tomorrow, the day after, and forever. Most of all, I was particularly happy that you shared your childhood memories with me. I believe that I understand you better now.”

　　Kazuma’s eyes widened as he continued to listen. _Tomorrow, the day after, and forever…_ So this was what love felt like. Something inside of him broke down, and his vision blurred as he wrapped his arms around Chrono’s waist. He shed bittersweet tears that landed upon Chrono’s shirt, but Chrono seemed to pay no mind.

　　Rather, he caressed Kazuma’s navy locks with calloused, gentle hands, and whispered “there, there; let it all out” and sweet nothings into his friend’s ear. Never had he seen Kazuma cry so fiercely. That guy was usually so stoic and sarcastic; now he was shedding tears in an alarming rate. Kazuma had finally submitted to his emotions; he just stayed there and cried.

　　It was loud now. Loud, hard crying.

　　Chrono remained quiet, combing his fingers through Kazuma’s hair. He didn’t speak, but his silence was enough for Kazuma; words were not needed to express his sympathy or comfort. He was the sole witness to Kazuma’s emotional collapse, but his embrace would extinguish the incessant jeers of Kazuma’s former family ringing in the gray-eyed boy’s ear.

　　Eventually, Kazuma’s harsh sobs ceased, and he slowly lifted his head away. Their eyes met, and Kazuma’s lips twitched.

　　“Chrono, thanks.”

　　“Of course. That’s what friends do.”

　　“Is that so…? I understand. I think I know what to give you now.”

　　“Eh? You do? But…”

　　“You said that you wanted to become an astronaut, right? Next time, let’s go to a planetarium together. The more knowledge you have, the closer you are to your dream.”

　　“Really? You’d actually do that?”

　　“I’m positively certain. I want to, after all.”

　　He winked, and the two giggled. Chrono glanced once at the window and smiled—the moon was still high in the sky, and the stars above really looked as if they were twinkling.

　　It hadn’t been his intention to let Kazuma spill his feelings that day, but this event would still have been inevitable. Although he recalled Kazuma speaking bitterly about his past before, he was astoundingly vague about his family history. It surprised him that Kazuma was able to maintain such an apathetic composure for so long.

　　Nevertheless, he felt impenitent for whatever that occurred that day. His and Kazuma’s bond was much stronger now; he was certain of it. That was the best thing that Kazuma ever gave him—his friendship. That alone would suffice.

　　“Good night, Kazuma,” he uttered, tucking the blanket under both of their chins.

　　Kazuma snuggled deep into the mantle, a smile blooming on his face. “Good night.”

　　With that, the two closed their eyes, drifting into a sea of dreams.

　　Chrono would later realize that he did not have any nightmares that night.

**Author's Note:**

> BONUS: Mikuru and Kazumi catching Chrono and Kazuma cuddled together in the morning, and then taking pictures of them and sending those to their friends, much to their embarrassment.  
> First of all, congratulations to the upcoming finale of Cardfight!! Vanguard G! Thank you for the amazing characters and stories!  
> I have to be honest, I was hoping for more drama, action and character development in the most recent episode, so I threw some of that in this work. I’m still excited for the finale, though.


End file.
